In the Digital EraMatt Seinberg

How many of us remember editing reel-to-reel
tapes, with a razor blade, editing block, a grease pencil and Radio
Shack splicing tape? I still own two editing blocks, one on my
Otari 10 inch reel-to-reel machine and separate one I used to use
on my Akai 7 inch reel machine. My splicing tape is all dried out
I'm sure, and there is no point in buying more.

Most of us use a digital editing program these
days, such as Adobe Audition or Pro Tools. I started out with a
bootlegged version of Cool Edit Pro, which became Audition when
Adobe bought them. I then upgraded to a bootlegged version of
Audition version 1.0. It worked okay, but it was slow.

When Audition version 2.0 released, I broke
down and bought a licensed boxed copy from Adobe. I was finally
legal. It was definitely an upgrade, but still slow at some tasks.
Then version 3.0 came out. I upgraded, immediately. I'm happy with
the performance and speed of version 3.0.

The one thing that Audition does not do is a
very simple task; there is no way to burn an MP3 jukebox CD that
can hold up to 12 HOURS of music. A regular CD can only hold 80
minutes, but how many of us burn right to then end? Usually we end
up with a disc best used as a coaster.

I do all my editing and regular burning in
Audition. Then I use either Roxio Record Now or Nero Burning ROM to
make music and MP3 CDs. It's so easy to drag and drop files into
the programs and arrange them any way I want.

I remember making "mix tapes" as gifts before
I had a computer. It was so time consuming. All the music needed
dubbing, in real time. I had to find all the tapes and tracks. Then
I arranged each one in an order for dubbing.

With .wav or MP3 files, all you have to do is
store the music on your hard drive, categorize them and put them in
your burning program. So much easier than dubbing tapes, don't you
think?

The progression to the digital realm at radio
stations was a very quick one. They went from carts, records and
reel-to-reel tapes to CD music carousels and computers that played
commercials and all station production elements.

In "American Airchexx Magazine," number five,
from 11 June 1976, there was an interview, with Don Elliott, the
Production Director of KIIS-FM. "Owning and Operating a Razor
Blade" was the title of the interview. The work that Don did back
in the day with a razor blade was truly amazing. I can only imagine
what Don could do today with a digital production suite.

At WHTZ-FM, Z100, in New York City, the
Production Director, Dave Foxx, is widely acknowledged as one of
the most talented producers in the industry today. The work he has
done at Z100 has been truly incredible, and that's one reason the
station sounds as good as it does.

Digital editing suites offer so many effects
that it boggles the mind. They can be as simple as adding echo or
reverb, to applying a Multiband Compressor or even a Tube Modeled
Compressor.

Instead of having to redo an entire recording
session because of one error, or a tape breaking, now you only need
redo that that one section. The amount of time and money saved is
staggering. More work done, faster and more efficiently.

The other side of this coin is what computers
and digital suites have done to the radio industry. Do we really
know if the voice we are listening to is live or recorded? Is it
live or is it Memorex? Remember that TV commercial that featured
various singers being recorded on tape, and breaking a glass? Then
the tapes played back and because the recording was so true to
life, another glass was broken?

The same goes for air personalities. How can
we tell if they are live in the studio, or in another state? I
discussed voice tracking in the past. It's one of the dirty
secrets, of corporate radio. I call it a secret if the station
doesn't tell the listener if they are listening to a live person,
or a recording. Two of the signs of voice tracking are the lack of
time and weather checks.

The down side to voice tracking is that it
takes jobs away from local personalities and saves the station one
or more salaries. The upside, if I can call it that, is that it
gives personalities from another station the opportunity to add to
their revenue stream. Can we call $25 per voice-track shift
revenue?

Many stations require their personalities to
voice track shifts at their own station, or other stations the
company owns in other markets for no additional compensation. It
takes on average 30-60 minutes to record a 4-5 air shift and costs
that station nothing.

Before computers, none of this was possible.
There always was a live person on the air and in the station, at
all times. Now, many building are empty from 7 pm to 5:30 am. What
happens if there is a major news event, breaking news or a weather
emergency? In most cases, nothing happens. Computers keep rolling
the music. Maybe the Program Director shows up and over rides the
system. Maybe he or she brings in a news feed from whatever service
the station uses, say, CNN Radio. That's because the station no
longer has a live and local news department anymore due to budget
cuts.

In The Digital Realm, anything is possible.
Ask anyone who has been a victim of identity theft. Anyone with a
photo-editing program, say, Photoshop, can turn an innocent picture
into something lewd and nasty. A voice changes from one gender to
another or anything in between, it's takes the blink of a cosmic
eye. If you have seen "Avatar," can you tell what is real or
computer generated? Are there big, blue people on Pandora?

Are there any live people in your favourite
station?

Matt Seinberg lives on Long Island, a few minutes east of New York City. He looks at everything around him and notices much. Somewhat less cynical than dyed in the wool New Yorkers, Seinberg believes those who don't see what he does
like reading about what he sees and what it means to him. Seinberg columns revel in the silly little things of life and laughter as well as much well-directed anger at inept, foolish public officials. Mostly, Seinberg writes for those who laugh easily at their own foibles as well as those of others.